AlterNet's Weekly Zeitgeist List -- The 10 Hottest Issues of the Day

By Don Hazen, AlterNet. Posted July 8, 2008.

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1. Is Obama shifting rightward? What should supporters do?
As Arianna Huffington put it, in the words of Molly Ivins: "'You got to dance with them what brung you.' Voters longing for hope, inspiration, a new kind of politics, and fundamental change are 'them that brung you' to the big dance. Don't let the pundits, the advisors, and the cowards convince you to let someone else cut in."

Memo to Obama: Moving to the Middle Is for Losers
By Arianna Huffington

2. Is the economy in free fall?
The labor market is deteriorating as jobs are cut; the stock market is in bear territory; and the mortgage crisis continues. Are we facing impending economic doom? So far Obama and McCain are offering tinkering around the edges -- save a few mortgages, extend unemployment, etc. Where are the bold ideas?

Bush Economy Sheds 62K Jobs in June; Sixth Straight Monthly Decline
By Dean Baker

3. Gas prices through the roof; SUV and truck sales headed to the basement
The price of gas is a real drag for those who have to drive. But the silver lining is that people are junking their gas guzzlers, hopping on public transportation and rethinking sprawl. The much maligned bus may turn out to be the transportation of the future.

Why We're Suddenly Paying Through the Nose for Gas
By Michael T. Klare

4. The Iraq war has always been about oil.
"Oh, no, they told us, 'Iraq isn't a war about oil.' 'That's cynical and simplistic,' they said. It's about terror and al-Qaeda and toppling a dictator. Sure and by the way, I have a bridge to sell you." --Bill Moyers

The Iraq War Was About Oil, All Along
By Bill Moyers and Michael Winship


5. Obama's shifting position on FISA
Obama tries to answer critics with statement about his FISA vote. 17,000 OBAMA supporters joined a protest group on MyOBAMA.com to challenge the candidate and debate. We're seeing what Web 2.0 is really about.

Glenn Greenwald's Critique of Obama's Position on FISA
By Glenn Greenwald

Obama Fails to Put Out the FISA Fire in His Own House
By Bob Ostertag

6. Will Bush bomb Iran?
It is hard to imagine they would be so crazy, but hey, Iraq was pretty crazy. Maybe all they are thinking about, in the face of peak oil, is more oil for the long haul?

Can Bush Attack Iran With Oil at $140 per Barrel?
By Jim Lobe

Sy Hersh: Congress Is Funding Major Escalation in Secret Operations Against Iran
By Amy Goodman


7. The debate over intergenerational feminism following Hillary's loss.
"I hate the sexist coverage that Hillary Clinton endured, but that doesn't change my vote. I, for example, am an Obama voter. My feminism is not just about gender equality in government, but also about racial justice, global security, community ethics, etc. I resent being made to feel as if there is a "right" way to vote if I am a feminist. --Courtney Martin

Generation Y Refuses Race-Gender Dichotomy
By Courtney Martin

8. Campaign for universal health insurance
The health care crisis isn't just a crisis for the uninsured. It's a problem for everyone. That's because America's behemoth of a health system is driving up debt and increasing the burden future taxpayers will have to shoulder. Something has to change -- and fast. A new group, Health Care for America Now, is taking on that challenge by launching a $40 million campaign to create health policy that works.
New Health Care Campaign To Pour $40 Million into Push for Universal Coverage
By Roger Hickey

9. California Supreme Court recognizes gay couples' right to say "I do."
Marriage is not for everyone, but it should be a choice for everyone. California's decision to expand rights for same-sex couples will help undo destructive, outdated prejudices. It is a civil rights boon.

Marriage Equality
By Gilbert Herdt and Robert Kertzner

10. A Supreme Court on the Brink The Supreme Court ended its term by abandoning its positive role on voting rights,
striking down the DC gun control law, reducing the Exxon-Mobile damages, but also in very narrow decisions, defended basic liberties, including the rights of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. All of these close decisions starkly illustrate how important the next President is, since he may have as many as three new appointments to the court.

A Supreme Court on the Brink
NY Times Editorial

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